At what point is an individual considered a writer?
Is it after completing their first private journal entry or after they publish a book?
The answer is - both parties can be considered writers, if they view themselves as such.
When writing, it is not only about the work you produce, it is about who you become when you write.
Here lies the personal benefits I have drawn from writing - intertwined with why you should consider beginning a writing journey and how to get started.
- Do it for yourself
If no one ever read my blog posts, does that take away all value? Not specifically. Writing is a great way to understand yourself and what is important to you. Through writing, I have worked through troubling times in my life and issues that continually haunted me. By putting my thoughts on paper (or on a computer), it frees them from my mind and creates space for more productive ideas. If you write about things that bring some form of value to your life, you will benefit - even if no one else does. Write for yourself.
2. It is about more than just writing…
You can’t expect to be great at something right away, that would take the experience out of it. By completing this small task daily, you are committing an effort to understand yourself and what you want your life to look like. Focus on the journey, as well as the end goal.
Writing will not only make you a better writer, but it will make you a better thinker and communicator.
Thinking - At times, writing can be rigorous - if you choose for it to be. In these times, you will be revealed to yourself. What are you capable of? What thoughts and ideas do you truly believe in? Are you producing your own thoughts, or are you only repeating the thoughts of others? It may take time, but you will notice a difference in your ability to generate ideas.
Communicating - If you have trouble sharing your thoughts - write them down first. It is much easier to share when you have a clear understanding of what you are thinking and what you want to convey. You will also be capable of having conversations with more depth because you will have deliberately explored a topic through writing.
3. What Do I Write About?
When I reference “writing,” I am not encouraging you to write book reports or research papers, like you may have done in school. Writing does not have to be formal - write about anything that comes to mind. Write as much, or as little as you want.
Here are a few examples to get started.
- Consider current or past challenges in your life - how have they impacted you?
- What you’re doing at work - is this truly what you want to be doing with your life?
- Books you read or podcasts you listen to - what did you learn from them?
- Reflect on who you were a year ago. Who do you expect to be in a year from now?
- Write about people you appreciate - do you show them adequately?
- Write fiction.
It does not matter what you write about - just start and try not to judge your work.
4. Do I have to Share My Ideas?
The simple answer is - No. You never have to share anything you have written and still can consider yourself a writer. I have been writing for a while now, but only in my personal journal (or on my computer), and have not shared any of it. My reason for posting now, is that I am already writing consistently, so why not put it out into the world?
Sharing work online is a great opportunity to connect with others. To test your ideas and receive feedback from others. If you are not comfortable sharing online, share it with some of your close friends or family. If sharing your writing does not sound appealing, then save your writings to reread at another time. It is interesting to see what you were thinking in the past - it is like a personal time capsule.
Make your own decision when you are ready.
5. Don’t focus on perfection
As I am writing this piece, I keep reminding myself of this idea. Do not get caught up in your work having to be perfect. Your writing does not have to be good for it to be impactful. Write down your thoughts as they come - do not worry about how they sound. If you are sharing them with others, edit your work at a later time. If you are keeping your work for yourself, make sure to have it all in one place - preferably in a journal (random pieces of paper are easy to lose).
6. Make it Easy to Take Action
Make it easy to write. Carry around a journal and pen when you leave the house. When at home, keep it visible where you can see it.
Start by taking small steps and continue to do them often. You do not need to write a novel, try writing a few sentences and expand on them if you want.
Write on your computer if you prefer (I recommend Notion).
There are phone applications that remind you to write and provide you with topics.
Find a way to make it fun - you are likely to do it more often if you are enjoying it.
My inspiration for starting to write came from many people. If you are interested in learning more about beginning a writing practice, visit Jim Rohn’s ideas on writing - his main purpose for keeping a journal was to capture good ideas on paper and not let them slip away. Everyone has great ideas - don’t let yours get lost.
I am very grateful to have started my writing journey - yet it is still a practice I struggle to complete daily. I hope that you will find writing as beneficial as I have and maybe one day you will guide another to begin their own journey of writing.